Universal screening tool
Integrate a universal screening tool in all appropriate mainstream programs
The VA National Center on Homelessness Among Veterans, in collaboration with the VA National Clinical Reminders Committee, developed a two-stage Homelessness Screening Clinical Reminder (HSCR) to conduct an ongoing, universal screen for homelessness and risk among veterans accessing healthcare services. The screening tool asks two simple questions:
1) In the past two months, have you been living in stable housing that you own, rent, or stay in as part of a household?
2) Are you worried or concerned that in the next two months you may NOT have stable housing that you own, rent, or stay in as part of a household?
Other mainstream federal programs, including TANF and Child Welfare, should implement similar screening procedures. This would provide more data on housing instability and homelessness among these populations as well as provide opportunities for intervention that may shorten the duration of homelessness and improve other outcomes such as increasing family reunifications and decreasing child removals.